WHY did the duck cross the playground? To get to the other slide! Shur aren’t they just holy terrors for the monkey bars and teeter-totters down in the Council chambers. A right shower of Fanta-filled feckers when they get anywhere close to a seesaw or merry-go-round. There’s just no containing them.
I often thought that if the Council executive put a sandpit in Merchant’s Quay they would get far more work out of our local representatives. They wouldn’t be half as cranky either.
It would melt your heart to see the photo of the young Cllr Daniel McSweeney in last week’s Limerick Post up on the swings and grinning gleefully.
Councillors are a bunch of big kids and you would have to love them for it.
Of course, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, and when they got word of Council coffers being used so that Limerick’s lovable pooches could get in on some of the playground action, they went barking mad altogether.
Councillors do not want to share the slides with any auld shaggy hounds. Their play time is very important to them.
Cllr Dan McSweeney, King Swing himself, voiced serious concerns last week about the Council’s growing focus on developing dog parks. He took the view that many communities remain without basic playground facilities for children, never mind the precious pooches!
“While the addition of dog parks is welcomed, it is extremely concerning that we have many communities — such as Patrickswell and Clarina/Ballybrown in my own locality — that still lack access to a local playgrounds,” the young pup of the Fine Gael pack said.
Fine Gael, as we all know, are not just for Christmas. Doggy lovers they may be, but when it comes to the local authority shekel, it’s back to the kennels for the lovely mutts.
“As our population continues to grow, we need to prioritise the delivery and improvement of children’s play facilities — particularly in areas where none currently exist. If tough funding decisions must be made, children’s play areas should take priority over dog parks as our population continues to grow,” Cllr McSweeney barked.
Don’t you know, the same fella will probably be asking Santa Claus to bring him the most adorable little puppy for Christmas, but hands off McSweeney’s playgrounds. The swings are not for sharing!
The Patrickswell buachaill considers it crucial that Council investment reflects the real needs of families across Limerick.
“In far too many communities, children still don’t have a safe or dedicated space to play within their locality — and that’s simply not acceptable in this day and age,” he said.
The Council responded by saying that it considers it important that dogs of all sizes can exercise off leash, enjoy freedom, and engage in social interaction. A great bunch of lads, indeed.
There’s talk now of turning a city centre street into a ‘dog-friendly’ space. I wonder how that will go down with local councillors?
True enough that a little nonsense now and then is cherished by the wisest men, but let’s not forget man’s best friend.
